A walk in the countryside
by Amelia McDermid
Summary: while on a walk in the countryside with Ianto, Jack tells him about when he took James to the countryside during his illness. Part of the Jack/James series of ficlets


This story is part of the Jack/James series and as usual was written for a LJ community

**Disclaimer: Torchwood is owned by the BBC**

* * *

Ianto slipped his arm through Jack's as they walked along the lonely road in the countryside. Snow had fallen on the fields making them white with speckles of green coming through. Jack shivered as a sudden breeze kicked up causing him to move his arm around Ianto's shoulder. The team had been given the day off because there hadn't been any movement in the rift in the past week.

"Sir, do you think the SUV will be ok where it is?" Ianto asked, looking back at where they had parked the SUV.

"Of course, as long as we don't go too far." Jack replied with a smile.

"You know I have memories, spending time in the countryside when I was lad." Ianto told him as they walked along. "We used to have snowball fights all the time."

"Yes I can imagine that Ianto Jones." Jack answered, a little bit of cheekiness in his voice. "Maybe we could have one....."

Without a word Ianto ran off towards the field with Jack after him. Jack giggled as he watched Ianto pick up some snow, rolling it into a ball. A few minutes later he tried to duck but the ball landed on his head, causing snow to cover his hair. Ianto started to laugh until a ball hit him on the shoulder.

"That will teach you to laugh, Ianto Jones." Jack said with a small smile, throwing up another snowball in his hand. Ianto grinned and started to run with Jack chasing after him with the snowball. Jack soon caught up with Ianto, grabbing him around the waist before squishing the snowball on his head. They both laughed so hard until Ianto turned around, looping his arms around Jack's waist.

"Look at us sir, full grown adults acting like children." Ianto observed with a laugh.

"Yeah it's sad isn't it?" Jack asked, grinning like a very happy child before planting a kiss on Ianto's forehead.

"You know I can imagine you having a snowball fight with James." Ianto told him with a smile. "Not in the countryside but down near the bay, under that autumn tree."

Jack was stunned at Ianto's words but said nothing. It was true that James had started snowball fights while on their walks along the bay and they would always finish the same, with them kissing behind the tree. The memories were now clear in his head, causing him to close his eyes.

"Did you ever take James on a trip to the countryside?" Ianto asked, looking up at Jack.

Jack pulled away from Ianto and started to walk back towards the path. Ianto tried to follow him but he kept quickening his pace. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Ianto anymore as his question had dug up a memory that was both good and bad.

"Come on Jack did you?" Ianto yelled out to him. "I don't care if the memory is good or bad as I'm here for you....."

Jack turned around at those words looking at Ianto. Tears were forming in his eyes and it was like he was inviting Ianto to come closer.

"I did but it wasn't during the winter, it would have been cruel of me." He replied putting his head down.

"Was it because of his illness?" Ianto asked while walking up to him. Jack nodded before Ianto looped his arms around Jack's waist.

"I took him over the summer in 1919. I was lucky to have taken him on one of his 'good' days as his wife called them. By then he had a cane because he had an incident in 1918 at the ministry of defence when he fell from a ladder, causing him to walk with a limp." Jack explained with a small smile. "He got worse after the war." He added when he saw Ianto's puzzled look.

"So during the war he was alright to work?" Ianto asked.

"Well he did have his ups and downs, according to Eliza but he was well enough to work, visit friends and play with his son." Jack explained. "And that was without treatment but after the war the illness fully took over."

"Maybe the illness was from another planet?" Ianto suggested which made Jack look at him, puzzlement in his eyes. "Like you said, the doctors came up blank."

Jack shrugged and kissed Ianto again on the forehead. "It sounds like an interesting idea and I wouldn't be surprised but how would he of caught it?"

"I don't know." Ianto confessed with a sheepish smile. "Haven't really thought it through."

Jack nodded and held Ianto closer to him, savouring the moment that they were sharing together at this moment in time. He closed his eyes and started to remember a good but also sad memory.

* * *

"Jack, we need to stop!" James had told him on that sunny afternoon in 1919. Jack had suggested that he would put his arm around him, helping James to walk. But James had told him that he was ok with his cane and had proved it to Jack. For the first time, they had walked hand in hand along the road which made them both relieved.

"Why what's wrong?" Jack asked with a smile. "Getting sick of me?"

James didn't answer but just let go of his hand. Jack watched as James walked over to the side of the road. Without warning he started to hear James chuck up on to the ground, bringing Jack back to reality about his illness. During the afternoon, it had been fun to pretend that James wasn't sick but only had a limp. James just seemed so well that you wouldn't know that underneath he was suffering from a mysterious illness.

After a few minutes, James looked over at Jack.

"I'm sorry if I've ruined our afternoon." James said with his head down.

Jack walked over and pulled him into an embrace. "You have nothing to apologise about mate."

James nodded and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I don't think I'll be alive next year."

"Don't say that James." Jack told him, harshly.

"It's true Jack, I'm getting worse everyday, even if it doesn't look like it." James protested, pulling back from Jack. "All I wanted was to watch my son grow up but I know I will never get that chance."

"And you will." Jack tried to assure him, even though now he was starting to believe the truth.

"No I won't Jack and you know it." James said, getting very angry. "I missed going to the fun fair with him because it wasn't one of my 'good' days."

Jack nodded and put his head down. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to give you hope."

James smiled and grabbed his hand. Jack's words seemed to have calmed him.

"I know Jack and I'm sorry." James said before hugging him.

* * *

As Ianto and Jack walked back to the car, Jack's phone started to ring. He noticed Gwen's name on the display as he took it out of his pocket.

"I thought you were with Rhys?" Jack said when he answered.

"_I was but Martha rang, wanting us to help with her with an epidemic of people showing up with a strange illness. I put the symptoms through the database in case Torchwood had any files..."_

"And?" Jack asked, getting quite worried.

"_Well it seems there was a case in 1914 when three clerks at the ministry of defence got sick mysteriously. Though only one got worse and died, according to the file his name was James Worthington.... Hello?"_

"What's the matter sir?' Ianto asked when Jack nearly dropped the phone.

"We have to get back to the hub." Was all Jack could say to him.

_Please remember to review_


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